Yesterday was another great day at the finest Southern Baptist Church in Oklahoma, the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Enid. The worship was wonderful, and though it is spring break, the people turned out for Bible study and worship at all three of our morning services. We are looking forward to Easter when we have five morning worship services: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m with simultaneous REFUGE worship services at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. as well. Our goal is to have over three thousand in worship on Easter Sunday, and we believe we may have many more than that actually come. We are continuing our exposition of Genesis on Sunday morning and we are currently studying Genesis 20, a series entitled Divine Intervention: Overcoming Addictions and Strongholds. The response to the series has been phenomenal. Emmanuel is a wonderful church to pastor.
My appreciation for the people of Christ within our convention continues to grow outside the walls of our own church because of friends I have made through the blog world. Last night Rachelle and I had the pleasure of stopping in Conway, Arkansas and sharing a meal with Alyce and Mackey Faulkner of Little Rock, Arkansas. This Southern Baptist couple have been blog friends for several months, but last evening was the first opportunity Rachelle and I had to have the pleasure of meeting the Faulkners.
As we enjoyed wonderful meal, the Faulkners freely shared with us their support for missions through their local church, their mutual desire to make our convention more kingdom oriented, and their love for everything associated with Christ. Both Rachelle and I were reminded of why we love the Southern Baptist Convention as we listened to the Faulkners-- it is the people of our convention.
The Faulkners warm, down home hospitality, engaging personalities, and genuine humility are characteristic of the people we love at Emmanuel, and we are beginning to realize, it is also characterizes the majority of Southern Baptists around the nation. For those of you who enjoy good Christian blogs, Alyce's The Miracle of Mercy is a must read. Macky does not blog himself, but like Rachelle does for me, Mackey gives Alyce behind the scenes wisdom, balance and perspective. Alyce also confirmed to Rachelle and me that you really can tell a great deal about a person by the blog he or she keeps. Alyce's charm, insight, and passion are seen as much in person as they are on her blog. Thanks, Faulkners, for a great evening.
Rachelle and I arrived in Memphis around 12:30 a.m. this morning. I will be meeting with various missionaries throughout the day, enjoy dinner with the trustees at Mid-America Seminary this evening, and participate in the closed door forum meeting of all trustees tonight.
I'll blog about reflections on today late this evening.
In His Grace,
Wade
22 comments:
Wade,
You need to stop by a little place down on Poplar avenue called "Corky's." Get you a slab of the dry ribs ... don't ask ... just do it. Or, if you have lots of time to look and wait, visit a little back-alley place downtown called "The Rondezvous" and order the same thing. Dry ribs.
I know you Oklahoma/Texas folk don't ever get the chance to have any real barbecue (which, by the way, never says, "moo...")
:)
Geoff
Wade,
Glad to follow your travels as you serve in God's Kingdom. It is the grassroots of the SBC that makes everything run within the convention. It is the people of the church that also make the difference between a denomination and a convention (referencing an earlier post). Without the autonomy of the local congregatin and the talented people who run them, we would all fall into the trap of following the orders of a centralized papacy.
Ah, man! If you get into rendezvous I will be intensely jealous! It was a two hour wait last time I was there and my friends and I were just too hungry, hot, and sweaty to wait it out. So we went to a little place called Cafe 66, or something like that. Still great food, though. Memphis has the best restaurants in Tennessee, I think -- with one exception: Jack's Bar-B-Que next to Tootsie's here in Music City. :)
I'll be praying for you as you meet with future Ms and fellow trustees. I remember my appointment week with the Trustees as an amazing time. Very godly people served in the group that met with those of us going to NAME. They all blessed our hearts as they prayed over us and approved us to go and serve. You have no idea how you touch the lives of those awaiting appointment/commissioning during this week! Bless you, bro.
Corky's, Rendevous, you can't go wrong either way. They are different types of ribs (wet vs. dry), but they are awesome.
That is wonderful about your church, Wade. We are going through the gospels and studying the teachings and and acts of Jesus. Yesterday was an awesome day in our church as well, even though many were gone with Spring Break upon us. Our folks really responded to the Word and there as a strong sense of God's Spirit at work. Even though our church is smaller, it sounds like we have like minded people. You're right, pastoring them is an unbelievable pleasure.
Wade, you beat me to the punch! You must get up at 3 a.m. The pleasure was all ours and as in my post today-I got to meet the real-life, on mission Wade AND see him in action. (What are the chances of that happening?) I'm glad God had you there and Mackey and I may be 'old dogs' but we learned something new. Thanks and we are praying for you both this week.
Wade,
Thank you and your fellow trustees for the work you will be doing this week. I am privileged to have a handful of friends on the field with the IMB (both career and Journeyman). Last September I was privileged to attend the appointment service for one friend in Spartanburg. This week there is a couple from my town coming for appointment in Memphis. I wish I could be there, too. It must be exciting to me get to participate in Kingdom work in this way. May God grant you all wisdom as you make final decisions and send out those who have dedicated themselves to serve our Father in this way.
I have a question. What all is involved in the BoT meetings? I know you can't reveal sensitive information but I was wondering what these meetings accomplish besides appointments.
JayLee
Now, Alan ...
Speaking as a memphis native, I can assure you that you can get a very large slab of dry ribs at Corky's, as well. You just have to ask for them. :) And, always, be ready to wait for a while.
Of course, for old-fashioned, hand-pulled pork, you can drive north out of town up Hwy. 70 to a little joint in mason, TN, called "Bozo's." I ate there every other friday night with my family when I was a kid. it was actually used for filming in "Walk the Line.' I recognized the front, even though they didn't include a sign.
let me just add a huge amen to what geoff just said. bozo's has the best bar b q anywhere. it's fantastic, and you feel like you have stepped back in time when you eat there. the place looks like it did in the 1950's.
also, i recommend the wet ribs at corky's. they are the best. sorry geoff. also, get the baked beans. you cant beat them anywhere.
but, geoff....for the best ribs anywhere....and maybe you've been there....you have to go to either dexter or sikeston, mo. the place in dexter is called the smokehouse i think, but anyway, just ask people in dexter and they'll tell you. and also, in sikeston, the former cook at the smokehouse opened up a restaurant called dexter ribs. oh my gooooodnesssss!!!! the best dry ribs anywhere...anywhere. geoff, if you are interested in a trip over there sometime, just let me know. they are great.
oh, btw, wade, i hope the imb meeting is going good.
david
The Rileys sure wish we could have stayed around longer and joined you guys for dinner, too. You will have to meet Alyce's pastor some day; he was great and the church was very gracious and welcoming. Godspeed in Memphis.
Are your feet 10 feet off of Beale?
Wade,
NO God is what makes the SBC great. What a n illustration of the semi-pelagian nonsense that strangles the convention.
Soli Deo Gloria
" I will share My glory with no one"
God
Okay, Jim. I've been polite through all the SBC stuff that has gone on in the blogosphere, but now the gloves have to come off!
Texas BBQ?!?!? Beef?!?!? You must be kidding me! I know, I know, all the Texans are going to come out with their, "Beef is best" nonsense, but we have now crossed the line and hit on the one issue that could truly divide us as a convention! Then, you've also got the Carolina BBQ with their vinegary sauce. Yuck!
Kevin Bussey had some great posts on this last year before the convention in Greensboro. Where are you, Kevin? Can you bring order to this madness? Is there any historical basis for which type of bbq is truly Baptist Bar-be-que? What does the BF&M say?
I'm obviously a lover of pork bbq, either pulled or in the form of ribs. From Corky's and Rendevous in Memphis, to Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, to Little Dooey's in Starkville, MS and Smokehouse BBQ in Millbrook, AL, pork is king throughout the mid-South.
It appears that we'll never be able to work together now! :)
Wait just a minute. With all due respect to NC, TN and TX BBQ, nothing holds a candle to Kansas City BBQ. Just up the road from MBTS is the Smokehouse BBQ. Volfan, no disrespect, but as a baked bean connaisseur, the Smokehouse has the best in the world. Hoofs and horns!
You boys eat that PORK BBQ???? Have you ever seen what kind of BBQ a pig eats?
You get my point!
(Although I must admit that this texan makes an exception for good pork Ribs...smoked over Mesquite of course...and always on a combo plate with good ol brisquet!)
AMEN!!!!!
jrm
Kansas City BBQ?!?!? Now we're plunging into postmodern relativism! Just how many paths to BBQ ecstacy are you proposing?
Wade, there are a bunch of liberals and moderates on this blog, I fear! :)
You guys are showing a regional and narrow Southern bias that smacks of narrow provincialism.
Consider a more "fully orbed" view of BBQ-ology. Don't restrict your understanding to one narrow grid of understandig.
Everyone knows that truly top drawer BBQ exists in "outlier locations" including Chris and Pitts BBQ in Downey CA. It is located on the corner of Gallatin Road and Lakewood Blvd.
Roger Simpson
OKC
David W.,
It's Dexter, MO. And the name of the place is the Hickory Log. Been there ... ate that.
Wade, sorry for the extraneous thread info, but barbecue talk is important stuff!
You heathens!! Blasphemy against Oklahoma BBQ!!! If you will come to our Sunday School class for 4 Sundays in a row before T-giving you would be invited to the best dry rubbed hams & turkeys that you ever ate courtesy of yours truly. Nothing like pecan wood smoked meats and I mean nothing will compare.
Wade,
O
n your way back through Conway, see if there is still a place called (i think) Pettyjeans.
Some years back I preached a revival in a little country church on a hilltop near Conway. The Pastor treated me to the best pork chops in the world at this diner.
They were so famous and popular that folks ordered them by the case. I was told there was a long back order list to wait to get some sent to my house.
No doubt, worlds best chops
grace
darrell
In response to robert i masters: God doesn't make conventions great. God makes people great and by His grace alone (solideo gratia)some of His great people make up what is great in the SBC for His glory alone (soli deo gloria!)
And while I'm at it - God didn't send His Son to die for a convention (or a nation for that matter). God sent His Son to die for people!
We may never agree on the best bbq - (that is a 4th tier topic!) - But surely we can agree on that!
Wade,
Thanks to your blog and some comments made on Brad Reynolds’ blog (What happened to him?), I’m convinced more than ever that Baptism is between God and the one being baptized; period.
I argued this in BSU in my college days.
I’m on a four person committee to write a constituting and by-laws for our church. I seem to be the only one with enough time to do any ‘work’. (This blogging is slowing down the work. Who can I blame that on? HA I’m also trying to finish a 40 foot high ‘roller coaster slide for my grandkids.)
I write and we ‘chew the fat’ till we agree. Of course the church will vote or make suggestions and have the ultimate say…but you know how that goes.
We agreed to try to keep things short and simple without writing a book, but to cover the necessary elements. So far, on the constitution on baptism, we have come up with:
“We believe that the ordinance of baptism is the immersion in water of a professed believer in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior, and his own death to sin, the burial of his old life and his resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ as Lord.”
I would appreciate if anyone had suggestions.
Rex Ray
All I know is there is no barbeque to be had in Milwaukee. We went in one place that claimed to have it, and all they had was some cold roast beef with Heinz BBQ sauce on it. I hereby repent of ever straying that far north!
Hey Wade,
Check out the picture of a tailgate that I saw yesterday. The link is http://letterstothethirsty.blogspot.com/. I simply couldn't believe it. May the Lord continually bless you and yours!
Brian
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